Shi (rank)

Shi (Chinese: 士; Korean: 사; Hanja: 士) is the rank usually held by Non-commissioned officers in some East Asian militaries. The ranks are used in both the People's Republic of China and Taiwan, and both North and South Korea. The rank name is based on the on one of the four ancient occupations.

China

The same rank names are used for all services, prefixed by haijun (simplified Chinese: 海军; traditional Chinese: 海軍; lit. 'naval force') or kongjun (simplified Chinese: 空军; traditional Chinese: 空軍; lit. 'air force').

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers
Chinese	一级军士长	二级军士长	三级军士长	四级军士长	上士	中士	下士
Pinyin	Yījí jūnshìzhǎng	Èrjí jūnshìzhǎng	Sānjí jūnshìzhǎng	Sìjí jūnshìzhǎng	Shàngshì	Zhōngshì	Xiàshì
Literal translation	First class senior corps warrior	Second class senior corps warrior	Third class senior corps warrior	Fourth class senior corps warrior	Upper warrior	Middle warrior	Lower warrior
PLA Ground Force[1]
PLA Navy[1]
PLA Air Force[1]
Native name	一级军士长 Yījí jūnshìzhǎng	二级军士长 Èrjí jūnshìzhǎng	三级军士长 Sānjí jūnshìzhǎng	四级军士长 Sìjí jūnshìzhǎng	上士 Shàngshì	中士 Zhōngshì	下士 Xiàshì
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers

Taiwan

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers
Chinese	一等士官長	二等士官長	三等士官長	上士	中士	下士
Pinyin	Yīděng shìguānzhǎng	Èrděng shìguānzhǎng	Sānděng shìguānzhǎng	Shàngshì	Zhōngshì	Xiàshì
Literal translation	First class warrior officer	Second class warrior officer	Third class warrior officer	Upper warrior	Middle warrior	Lower warrior
Republic of China Army[2]
Republic of China Navy[2]
Republic of China Air Force[2]
Republic of China Marine Corps[2]
	一等士官長 Yīděng shìguānzhǎng	二等士官長 Èrděng shìguānzhǎng	三等士官長 Sānděng shìguānzhǎng	上士 Shàngshì	中士 Zhōngshì	下士 Xiàshì
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers

Japan

Rank group	Enlisted
Japanese	士長	1等士	2等士
Romanization	Shichō	Ittō shi	Nitō shi
Literal translation	Warrior senior	First class warrior	Second class warrior
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force[3]
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force[3]
Japan Air Self-Defense Force[3]
Rank group	Enlisted

North Korea

See also: Comparative military ranks of Korea

Sa
Hangul	사
Hanja	士
Revised Romanization	Sa
McCune–Reischauer	Sa

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers				Enlisted
Hangul	특무상사	상사	중사	하사	상급병사	중급병사	하급병사	전사
Hanja	特務上士	上士	中士	下士	上級兵士	中級兵士	下級兵士	戰士
Romanization	T'ŭkmu-sangsa	Sangsa	Chungsa	Hasa	Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa	Chungŭp-pyŏngsa	Hagŭp-pyŏngsa	Chŏnsa
Literal translation	Special duty upper warrior	Upper warrior	Middle warrior	Lower warrior	Upper class weapon warrior	Middle class weapon warrior	Lower class weapon warrior	Fight warrior
KPA Ground Force[4]
U.S. equivalent[4]	Sergeant major	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class	Staff sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Private first class	Private
KPA Navy[4]
U.S. equivalent[4]	Master chief petty officer	Senior chief petty officer	Chief petty officer	Petty officer first class	Petty officer second class	Petty officer third class	Seaman	Seaman apprentice
KPA Air Force[4]
U.S. equivalent[4]	Chief master sergeant	Senior master sergeant	Master sergeant	Technical sergeant	Staff sergeant	Sergeant	Airman first class	Airman
	특무상사 T'ŭkmu-sangsa	상사 Sangsa	중사 Chungsa	하사 Hasa	상급병사 Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa	중급병사 Chungŭp-pyŏngsa	하급병사 Hagŭp-pyŏngsa	전사 Chŏnsa
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers				Enlisted

South Korea

Main article: Military ranks of South Korea

Rank group	Non-commissioned officer
Hangul	원사	상사	중사	하사
Hanja	元士	上士	中士	下士
Romanization	Wonsa	Sangsa	Jungsa	Hasa
Literal translation	Chief soldier	Upper soldier	Middle soldier	Lower soldier
Armed Forces[5]
U.S. equivalent (Army)[6]	Sergeant major	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class	Staff sergeant
U.S. equivalent (Navy)[6]	Master chief petty officer	Senior chief petty officer	Chief petty officer	Petty officer first class
U.S. equivalent (Air Force)[6]	Chief master sergeant	Senior master sergeant	Master sergeant	Technical sergeant
U.S. equivalent (Marine Corps)	Sergeant major	Master sergeant	Gunnery sergeant	Staff sergeant
	원사 元士 Wonsa	상사 上士 Sangsa	중사 中士 Jungsa	하사 下士 Hasa
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers

Vietnamese variant

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers
Vietnamese	Thượng sĩ	Trung sĩ	Hạ sĩ
Chữ Hán	上士	中士	下士
Literal translation	Upper warrior	Middle warrior	Lower warrior
Vietnam People's Ground Force[7]
Vietnam People's Navy[7]
Vietnam People's Air Force[7]
Vietnamese	Thượng sĩ	Trung sĩ	Hạ sĩ
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers

South Vietnamese variant

Main article: South Vietnamese military ranks and insignia

Rank group	Senior NCOs				Junior NCOs
Native name	Thượng sĩ nhất	Thượng sĩ	Trung sĩ nhất	Trung sĩ	Hạ sĩ nhất	Hạ sĩ
Chữ Hán	上士一	上士	中士一	中士	下士一	下士
Literal translation	First upper warrior	Upper warrior	First middle warrior	Middle warrior	First lower warrior	Lower warrior
Army of the Republic of Vietnam (1967-1975)[8]
Translation[8]	Master sergeant, first class	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class	Sergeant	Corporal major	Corporal
Republic of Vietnam Navy (1967-1975)[8]
Translation[8]	Officer	Chief petty officer	Petty officer first class	Petty officer second class	Leading seaman	Able seaman
Republic of Vietnam Marine Division (1967-1975)
Translation	Master sergeant, first class	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class	Sergeant	Corporal major	Corporal
Republic of Vietnam Air Force (1967-1975)[8]
Translation[8]	Master sergeant, first class	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class	Sergeant	Corporal major	Corporal
Native name	Thượng sĩ nhất	Thượng sĩ	Trung sĩ nhất	Trung sĩ	Hạ sĩ nhất	Hạ sĩ
Rank group	Senior NCOs				Junior NCOs

See also

• China portal
• Taiwan portal

• Wei (rank)
• Jiang (rank)
• Xiao (rank)
• Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force
• Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Navy
• Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Air Force
• Republic of China Armed Forces rank insignia

References

1. Ping, Xu (7 August 2017). "我军建军九十年军衔制度沿革" [The evolution of our military rank system over the ninety years of its establishment]. mod.gov.cn (in Chinese). Ministry of National Defense. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
2. "Lùhǎikōng jūnfú zhì tiáolì fù tú" 陸海空軍服制條例附圖 [Drawings of the Uniform Regulations of the Army, Navy and Air Force] (PDF). Gazette of the Presidential Palace (6769): 65–67. 7 November 1996. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
3. "自衛官の階級" [Self-Defense Forces rank]. mod.go.jp (in Japanese). Japanese Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
4. Minnich, James M. (2008). "National Security". In Worden, Robert L. (ed.). North Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 266, 268. LCCN 2008028547. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
5. "gyegeubjang-ui jesig(je7joje2hang gwanlyeon)" 계급장의 제식(제7조제2항 관련) [Rank insignia (related to Article 7 (2))]. law.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 30 December 2021.
6. Katz, Rodney P. (1992). "National Security". In Savada, Andrea Matles; Shaw, William (eds.). South Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 292. LCCN 91039109. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
7. "Quy định quân hiệu, cấp hiệu, phù hiệu và lễ phục của Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam". mod.gov.vn (in Vietnamese). Ministry of Defence (Vietnam). 26 August 2009. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
8. Armed Forces Information and Education (1968). Uniforms of Seven Allies (DOD GEN-30). Department of Defense. pp. 26–28. Retrieved 2 July 2022.